Latest / Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago / The Arrival of The King | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Transcript

The Arrival of The King | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series) · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

• 0:11
  Well, good afternoon, please meet me in the gospel of Mark
• 0:16
  and chapter. 1 Mark chapter 1. We are beginning.
• 0:23
  This journey in this new book and I'm eager to Join you on
• 0:30
  this endeavor, Mark chapter 1. And today by the grace of God,
• 0:36
  we will. We will hear the Lord through
• 0:38
  through the first three verses. And so let's read in verse 1.
• 0:42
  The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God as
• 0:50
  it is written in Isaiah. The prophet behold I send my
• 0:53
  messenger before your face who will prepare your way the voice
• 0:59
  of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord.
• 1:04
  Make his paths. Straight Lord.
• 1:08
  We bow before you in our hearts. Oh God.
• 1:15
  Lori tremble at your word. We believe that this is your
• 1:19
  word. Your Eternal Word, your
• 1:22
  sufficient word. It is like a fire.
• 1:28
  And it is like a hammer, it can convict and cut and it can
• 1:32
  comfort and bind up. Lord, as we come to this book.
• 1:39
  Grab us by the hand and lead us through it.
• 1:41
  Verse by verse and help us see the glories of your son.
• 1:45
  Jesus Christ, Lord do the miracle, That you've started at
• 1:52
  Salvation, in sanctification, mold ice melt us.
• 2:00
  Make us into the people that you have purchased for your own
• 2:05
  possession. Lord Jesus.
• 2:08
  You assured us that it would be greater for you to go so that
• 2:12
  the spirit of God would be in us and with us now, would his
• 2:16
  ministry be known today as he makes much of you.
• 2:21
  We ask this in Jesus name, amen. You will benefit the most out of
• 2:29
  this series if you have a Bible, that's true of every single
• 2:33
  Sunday. But there will be times where
• 2:35
  this will be more of a teaching format.
• 2:37
  And there will be other times where this will be a preaching
• 2:39
  session and oftentimes it's a mixture of both but hold tight
• 2:45
  to your copy of God's word. As we come through these three
• 2:48
  first verses in this glorious gospel account.
• 2:53
  What we just read is important. Mark says the beginning of the
• 2:58
  Gospel of Jesus Christ. And what's so important about
• 3:02
  that statement is that the word gospel is most used by this
• 3:07
  gospel writer and comparison to his companions.
• 3:11
  The word gospel is brought up a total of eight times in this
• 3:15
  book and comparison to Matthew, brings it up four times and Luke
• 3:19
  and John actually don't mention it at all at least directly.
• 3:24
  But Mark seems to be very interested in this concept of
• 3:29
  the Gospel. It's right there.
• 3:30
  When we begin this text and it will be found in the closing
• 3:34
  words of his testimony. Now, what's so important about?
• 3:39
  That is when we understand what the word gospel means, you know,
• 3:42
  it you're familiar with it, aren't you?
• 3:44
  It simply means. Good news.
• 3:47
  Glad Tidings something to celebrate about something that
• 3:51
  brings about Glee, the light and Bliss.
• 3:54
  And what we see here is that the fact that it is brought up, not
• 3:58
  just in the beginning, but throughout this account, even to
• 4:01
  the end, it says something about how the Holy Spirit wants to
• 4:05
  remind us and reinforce an Glorious truth about the core
• 4:10
  message of our faith and it is this.
• 4:12
  It's about Joy. It's about Joy.
• 4:17
  And so, we can properly interpret.
• 4:21
  The first verse, the first part of it, at least the beginning of
• 4:24
  the good news. Good news of Jesus Christ, the
• 4:29
  son of God, This news is good and the joy that it produces is
• 4:36
  glorious and this is something that we have to consider.
• 4:41
  Because there are a lot of Christians who aren't very
• 4:43
  joyful. This is exactly what the angel
• 4:48
  at least one, Angel of the Lord told those Shepherds on that
• 4:50
  Divine night. When they appeared with the
• 4:52
  glory of God shining around them fear.
• 4:54
  Not for behold, the angel says I bring you good news with great
• 4:58
  joy. With great joy.
• 5:02
  That will be for all people. Only those who have felt the
• 5:08
  shame of their sin, and the condemnation that they deserve
• 5:11
  because of it. Only those can testify about how
• 5:17
  this news about this purses in is indeed very, very good
• 5:22
  because that news to them. That's why you're here today.
• 5:25
  I hope was the announcement and the Declaration of their
• 5:29
  freedom. It liberated them, it
• 5:32
  transformed them. It rescued them and so it is
• 5:36
  indeed good. But I have to say at the same
• 5:38
  time, those same precious people who can tell you so beautiful.
• 5:44
  what that good news is from beginning to end and everything
• 5:47
  in between those same redeemed Saints who could even testify of
• 5:53
  when and how that good news, transform them have over time,
• 5:59
  become numb have over time become stale I hope you're not
• 6:05
  still this afternoon. I hope you're not indifferent to
• 6:09
  this, but it is so often the case that the very same people
• 6:13
  who have known the touch of God in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• 6:18
  Become that way and live that way because the good news
• 6:22
  becomes old news. It becomes old news.
• 6:26
  I had a friend who was ministering in a nursing home
• 6:29
  back in Canada and had a chance to be there a couple of times
• 6:33
  and they had a small little chapel room with just a few
• 6:35
  chairs for some of these elderly people.
• 6:38
  And he told me one time we were laughing about it in time of
• 6:40
  Fellowship, where he came to the front and he said to these
• 6:43
  precious, you know, seasoned individuals.
• 6:47
  I've come to tell you today about how Jesus Christ came to
• 6:52
  die for yourself and one of those old ladies interrupted him
• 6:55
  and said, we already know that. and some of you today, you
• 7:05
  probably sink saying to yourself.
• 7:06
  I already know what you're going to say. and it doesn't move you
• 7:10
  anymore, doesn't stir you anymore, doesn't does it remind
• 7:13
  you of how it delivered you We already know that preacher.
• 7:18
  We were, you know what? You're going to say.
• 7:21
  And my question is, is that right?
• 7:26
  Is the good news of Jesus Christ depended upon the novelty of the
• 7:32
  news of our forgiveness. Is it just only for that period
• 7:39
  where that that news was fresh to us?
• 7:43
  Or is there something that it leads us to?
• 7:47
  I want you to know that the joy that comes from the good news is
• 7:50
  not a momentary Joy. It is a joy that we live in.
• 7:54
  It is a supreme happiness that you and I continue to experience
• 7:59
  as we walk with Jesus and I want to prove that to you with a
• 8:03
  verse that will Challenge and even contradict what you and I
• 8:07
  have probably become very comfortable living with And that
• 8:11
  is found in First Peter 1:18, IND.
• 8:15
  Please turn their because when you see this It will eliminate
• 8:20
  every type of justification for why our hearts would not know a
• 8:25
  joy that is feelable. And a real.
• 8:31
  Peter speaking to Christians and he says in First Peter 1829
• 8:38
  though, you had not seen him. You love him though.
• 8:43
  You do not now. See him you believed in him and
• 8:46
  rejoice with joy. That is inexpressible and filled
• 8:50
  with Glory. Obtaining the outcome of your
• 8:53
  faith, the salvation of your souls The gospel.
• 8:57
  This is not just produce a joy that is dependent upon the
• 9:02
  newness of that news when it comes to us.
• 9:05
  Because that same gospel that assures, you of redemption.
• 9:09
  Also tells us of a purchase that has been made by Christ that
• 9:14
  gives every single sinner access to fellowship with the very
• 9:19
  person who died for you 2000 years ago. and so This Joy is
• 9:25
  not just in the Redemption, the joy is in the relationship that
• 9:29
  that Redemption purchased And that is a joy that you and I
• 9:34
  continue to know and it is a joy that is not Dependable on
• 9:38
  physical perception. That's what Peter says even
• 9:42
  though you don't see him, you don't need to see him to know
• 9:45
  this quality of happiness that floods your heart in a
• 9:49
  miraculous way. And that brings you to a
• 9:51
  category of Glee that is incomparable to any other
• 9:56
  horizontal relationship. You may need your eyes and your
• 10:00
  hands and your ears to know the joy of mutual friendship and
• 10:05
  romance. But this joy that comes with
• 10:08
  knowing Christ does not need your eyes.
• 10:11
  It's something that the Holy Spirit does in you and the
• 10:14
  deepest parts of Who You Are. And Peter could have said that
• 10:20
  you what believe in him and rejoiced past tense but he
• 10:24
  doesn't, he says you still are rejoicing.
• 10:28
  He's describing their current experience as he's writing this
• 10:31
  to them, you believe in him now and you love him now and because
• 10:37
  of that day by day, you know, a true Joy.
• 10:43
  And what I mean, Joy. This may this may cause some
• 10:46
  friction to some of you. I'm not speaking about just a
• 10:50
  theological idea. I'm speaking about you ready for
• 10:53
  this word feeling. Something that you actually
• 10:59
  experience something that is actually there, that's, that's
• 11:05
  feelable. It's a sensation, it causes you
• 11:08
  to sing, it makes you satisfied. It makes you happy in Jesus. and
• 11:16
  what Peter is saying to these Believers is that this Joy is
• 11:21
  ongoing, or at least it should be And this Joy is so strong.
• 11:27
  It is so profound that Paul even says that we can rejoice in our
• 11:32
  suffering you and I can actually rejoice in our suffering.
• 11:36
  Now, think about that for a moment.
• 11:38
  How realistic and honest is the Bible, it does not mean that we
• 11:42
  are immune to pain is. I mean that we will not know
• 11:45
  some kind of disappointment, but what it does mean is that
• 11:49
  there's this deep-seated work of the holy spirit that keeps you
• 11:54
  Curtin Christ, it's amazing, how suffering, propels us.
• 11:59
  It's amazing how things in and events in life, that crush us
• 12:02
  make us run two different saviors.
• 12:06
  To either numb us or Medicaid us or guide us.
• 12:10
  But what this Joy does, is that it keeps Us close to Christ.
• 12:16
  It keeps Us close to him. And what's so amazing, is that
• 12:20
  the standard of joy that Peter speaks about has no rival?
• 12:26
  Because the Holy Spirit, informs us about the grade of this
• 12:29
  happiness which stems from believing in him and daily
• 12:32
  applying a love to the invisible one.
• 12:35
  Who is still your savior? What does he say about this joy?
• 12:38
  That it is inexpressible and filled with glory inexpressible
• 12:44
  and what is inexpressible mean it means this Beyond human
• 12:48
  speech. Language cannot articulate.
• 12:53
  The Delight that Christ brings to that soul.
• 12:58
  Even the Birds are singing about it.
• 13:02
  There is no expression or any full way of being able to
• 13:06
  communicate of being able to communicate, just what Jesus
• 13:11
  Christ brings to your heart. When he becomes, Lord of that
• 13:16
  heart. Now either Peter is lying
• 13:20
  exaggerating or there's something happening in us that
• 13:25
  is not lining up with the word of God.
• 13:28
  Now some might say brother, I have to be honest that I have
• 13:31
  known such a joy in this life. There have been moments in my
• 13:35
  life where I was. So stunned by either a love.
• 13:39
  That was brought to me or an event that I experienced or my
• 13:42
  love towards someone else. I mean, I wish you were there
• 13:45
  preacher. When my baby boy was born, I had
• 13:48
  no words. All I can do was just cry.
• 13:51
  Isn't that inexpressible? And brother, I love my wife.
• 13:55
  I love my husband so much that there are times where I can't
• 13:58
  even say those words. All I can do is embrace them and
• 14:01
  let them feel the warmth of my love, because my love towards
• 14:05
  them is inexpressible. And I know that their love
• 14:07
  towards me is beyond human, like Beyond poetry Beyond Hallmark
• 14:11
  cards. Beyond gifts, fair enough.
• 14:15
  But what do you do with the second characteristic that that
• 14:18
  Peter speaks of concerning this Joy filled with Glory?
• 14:26
  Filled with Glory Full Of Glory. Do you understand what Peter's
• 14:32
  trying to say? This joy in the Lord is in a
• 14:37
  category all by itself? It transcends all other joys.
• 14:45
  It takes it to another level, it exceeds natural Euphoria and it
• 14:50
  is a contentment that cannot be found in this world.
• 14:56
  Full of Glory. Let me ask this again, please,
• 14:58
  please hear me. It's Peter lying.
• 15:02
  Is Peter is Peter just stretching?
• 15:04
  This is the holy spirit, just playing with us.
• 15:08
  Is this poetic license or is this real?
• 15:11
  Is it real? What did Jesus say?
• 15:18
  He said something so amazing before, his disciples, these
• 15:20
  things, I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and
• 15:24
  that your joy may be full. Do you know why this joy that
• 15:27
  Peter speakers, which is the same joy that Jesus speaks of
• 15:30
  this? The reason why it is full of
• 15:32
  Glory, it's because it's Jesus own Joy.
• 15:38
  It's a joy that he knows it's a joy that he enjoys and it's a
• 15:43
  joy that he wants to share with those that belong to him.
• 15:50
  The joy that Jesus has can be your joy and mine.
• 15:57
  And do you know what Peter is doing?
• 16:00
  In these verses. He is displaying before us the
• 16:05
  standard of the Christian experience.
• 16:09
  The average Christian should know this inexpressible enjoyed
• 16:14
  that is full of glory. And I want to say that if you
• 16:18
  and I are, True Believers. Does this resonate with us?
• 16:22
  I'm not saying that Joy is in challenge.
• 16:23
  I'm not saying that we don't feel suffering.
• 16:26
  But what I am saying is how have there been moments and can you
• 16:30
  point to something perpetually throughout your walk with the
• 16:33
  Lord? That there is this satisfaction
• 16:36
  that settles your soul. And you're not looking and
• 16:40
  wanting for the newest toys and tricks and trinkets and life.
• 16:44
  There's something that Christ has done in you as you believe
• 16:47
  in him and love him, that keeps you calm with contentment?
• 16:54
  It's good news, not just because we're forgiven but because we
• 16:57
  know fellowship with him and I want to tell you today don't let
• 17:02
  Satan convince you of a lower standard of how you walk with
• 17:07
  the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you are in this place,
• 17:10
  you saying, brother. I got to admit.
• 17:13
  This is joy as foreign to me. I, I don't know if I can say
• 17:18
  that it's inexpressible. I don't know if I can, I can
• 17:22
  really say that it's been real in my life.
• 17:26
  The most joyous moment was when I came to Christ and it's been a
• 17:28
  downhill thing since then, then I had back in you If this is, if
• 17:34
  this is Christ standard for you and I then come before him in
• 17:38
  humility, say o God, renew the joy of your salvation and teach
• 17:42
  me to how to maintain it. As I walk day-by-day
• 17:45
  hand-in-hand with you, he will do it.
• 17:49
  He will do well. How will I know if I have it?
• 17:51
  It'll be inexpressible and full of Glory.
• 17:53
  That's how you'll know. You see?
• 17:57
  I'm scared sometimes. That in the pursuit of being
• 18:01
  theologians, it's all Blackboard Theology and it doesn't become
• 18:04
  experiential. The apostles who were the
• 18:09
  foundation of the church laying the foundation of the doctrine
• 18:12
  of the church experienced, what they preached.
• 18:17
  And the Holy Spirit has no different standard for you and
• 18:19
  I, how did we get here? Are we studying mark?
• 18:24
  What does this have to do with our studying these first three
• 18:26
  verses? Very simple.
• 18:27
  The first verse in the gospel account of Mark, is reminding us
• 18:31
  that the, the core message of our faith is good news.
• 18:36
  Good news. I heard a story of a man who
• 18:40
  evangelizing it came up to a person.
• 18:42
  And he said, do you believe in Jesus Christ?
• 18:44
  And he came so sour and somber and the person responded in this
• 18:49
  way. It almost a comical way.
• 18:51
  No, thank you. I have enough problems in my
• 18:52
  life. We are to be a joyful people.
• 18:56
  And here's why this is so important that as a collective
• 19:01
  church family, where we believe that we must carry our cross
• 19:03
  daily and that we must suffer, we will suffer.
• 19:07
  And God is Sovereign over our suffering.
• 19:08
  When we are even preparing ourselves spiritually, for the
• 19:12
  greater persecution, that's coming to this nation, we must
• 19:16
  not forget. Also that we are a people of
• 19:18
  joy. We are.
• 19:23
  A joy. So rich that it helps us Suffer
• 19:25
  Well a joy. So rich, that that Joy itself is
• 19:30
  somewhat of a testimony of the goodness of this gospel.
• 19:33
  The core message of our faith is good news and listen, the
• 19:37
  Christian experience as a consequence of responding to
• 19:40
  that good news is filled with inexpressible.
• 19:44
  And glorious Joy. So why be ashamed of the Gospel?
• 19:50
  Why be ashamed of the good news of Jesus Christ, why blush?
• 19:53
  Why shrink why let your voice Tremor and Quake when we have
• 19:59
  something that is shores of serves?
• 20:01
  As of Man rescue that brings us unmatched relief that promises
• 20:05
  reward in this life and the next to those who respond to the
• 20:09
  demands of this. Good news.
• 20:10
  Why be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. no need It's good
• 20:18
  news and it produces good things.
• 20:21
  Let's consider further what we see here in Mark 11.
• 20:25
  The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• 20:27
  Although that word gospel is a broad term.
• 20:30
  It carries specific significance to an ancient Jewish audience
• 20:33
  and even to a gentile audience who lived under some kind of a
• 20:36
  monarch or with an emperor over them.
• 20:39
  What do I mean by that? Listen to this is so important,
• 20:41
  the idea of someone heralding, good news to the General Public.
• 20:46
  Was often associated with the announcement of some kind of
• 20:50
  military Victory or political Triumph.
• 20:53
  So there was a word association there.
• 20:55
  This this idea of good news was linked to an event and
• 21:00
  specifically an event that was heralded by somebody.
• 21:03
  When it came to some Conquest that was accomplished by their
• 21:06
  government or by their military. And you see that in first
• 21:10
  Samuel, you see it in the book of Kings where somebody was
• 21:14
  designated to run back to the hometown.
• 21:16
  Say victory has been brought, we have conquered the enemy.
• 21:21
  Our King triumphs, we move forward.
• 21:26
  And we even see it in the prophets.
• 21:28
  We even see the idea of good news, especially in Isaiah and
• 21:31
  what's amazing is the way Isaiah uses?
• 21:34
  It is in the way in which God himself brings about some kind
• 21:38
  of Deliverance. God himself brings about
• 21:41
  salvation or God himself is reminding and reassuring.
• 21:45
  His people that he is ruling and reigning in their favor.
• 21:48
  Again and one of the most famous ways that we see that played
• 21:52
  out, is an Isaiah 52. And the Old Testament, we see in
• 21:55
  verse You know, it how beautiful upon the mountains?
• 22:00
  Are the feet of him, who brings good news who publishes peace,
• 22:04
  who brings good news of Happiness, who publishes
• 22:07
  salvation, who says, to Zion your god reigns?
• 22:12
  So, what is the essence of the good news here, proclaimed by
• 22:15
  the prophet, your God rings. Your God rules.
• 22:20
  He is exalted, he is upon his throne and because he is upon
• 22:25
  his throne actively in your favor, he will bring about
• 22:29
  Redemption for his people. He will destroy the oppressor,
• 22:32
  he will rescue, he will bring peace, he will bring
• 22:35
  righteousness. Once again, when Isaiah said,
• 22:39
  these words, it had an immediate application to the Jewish people
• 22:42
  of the time, but Paul by the spirit borrows the same words
• 22:47
  and uses it in relation to gospel Ministry.
• 22:50
  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings
• 22:54
  good news? You know, this is a side thing
• 22:57
  but I believe that's one explanation.
• 22:59
  To why Believers feel a sense of Attraction and appreciation for
• 23:04
  gospel preachers. How beautiful are those feet
• 23:09
  that have dedicated their lives to preach and to declare the
• 23:12
  goodness of God, there is a sense of Love towards them and a
• 23:15
  specific type of adoration, not worship but appreciation.
• 23:20
  But what we see here is so important because it's ultimate
• 23:23
  fulfillment is when those beautiful feet who have been
• 23:25
  pierced on our behalf. Well, land on the Mount of
• 23:28
  Olives and where Jesus Christ will rule and Reign on the
• 23:31
  earth. Subduing.
• 23:32
  The nation's by his authority and his righteousness.
• 23:36
  All to say that an Isaiah good news has the connotation of some
• 23:41
  kind of enthronement that there is something taking place.
• 23:44
  Somebody has been raised up who will rule and assured
• 23:48
  Deliverance to those who are under their Authority, it's an
• 23:51
  Isaiah 40. Also if you read that chapter as
• 23:53
  well. And so this is important to
• 23:55
  understand because when Mark says the beginning of the Gospel
• 23:59
  of Jesus Christ, it is very likely that those who are yes,
• 24:03
  Jews. But even Gentiles in Reading or
• 24:06
  hearing these very words would say to themselves were about to
• 24:09
  hear about a king. We're about to find out about a
• 24:15
  king. And if you paid attention last
• 24:19
  week, which I hope you did, perhaps there would be an
• 24:22
  objection saying, but I thought you said that Mark was about
• 24:26
  Jesus being a servant the suffering servant is in the
• 24:31
  King, Jesus reserved for Matthew.
• 24:35
  And you would be right. The theme is Jesus being the
• 24:38
  suffering servant but he is no less of a king.
• 24:41
  He is no less royalty. He is a specific type of king
• 24:44
  one who humbles himself and comes to serve his.
• 24:47
  So even though the following events and Records will.
• 24:50
  So Jesus serving people and suffering, even for his people,
• 24:54
  he is still a king. And I wonder if the Holy Spirit
• 24:58
  knew that that would perhaps be some kind of obstacle in the
• 25:02
  mind as they see a king. Going hungry, a king being hated
• 25:10
  a king, being shoved around, a king being crucified.
• 25:18
  Being very specific with the words, kind of solves it because
• 25:23
  the Holy Spirit through Mark, says the beginning of the Gospel
• 25:28
  of Jesus Christ, meaning why? This is not the complete story.
• 25:35
  This is just the beginning of it.
• 25:37
  The purpose of his writing is just to bring us the first phase
• 25:40
  of this Kings. Redemptive plan and purpose on
• 25:42
  the earth. You know, know what's going to
• 25:45
  happen when it comes to the return of this king and the way
• 25:48
  that Mark, introduces us to the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus
• 25:51
  Christ. Just the first steps of what
• 25:53
  this King will do, before he comes to bring, everything to
• 25:56
  its completion is really interesting because she doesn't
• 26:01
  speak about the birth of Christ. He doesn't begin with the To
• 26:05
  describe as human lineage. None of that.
• 26:08
  What he does is he actually goes to a prophetic prediction, that
• 26:12
  doesn't even directly deal with Christ.
• 26:14
  But speaks of his Forerunner in John, the Baptist.
• 26:18
  Why? Why is John the Baptist showing
• 26:22
  up in the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
• 26:27
  Because it was common in ancient times.
• 26:28
  That if there was a true king prepared to come that there will
• 26:33
  be a Harold that would go forth before his face and he would
• 26:37
  prepare the people and even the physical aspects of that City,
• 26:41
  so that the king can come and the people would be ready for
• 26:45
  his arrival. And that is exactly who John the
• 26:48
  Baptist is. that is exactly why he is, brought up, but notice
• 26:53
  also, if I were to Tell you the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus
• 26:58
  Christ. Where would I start?
• 27:04
  What again, what I start with his birth, what I start with his
• 27:06
  suffering, I mean the answers very, but Mark starts in the Old
• 27:10
  Testament. Mark goes 100 years hundreds of
• 27:15
  years rather before even Jesus incarnated and came in the
• 27:18
  flesh. And the reason why the Holy
• 27:21
  Spirit also wants to do that, this should excite you, is
• 27:24
  because the reader should understand that the person and
• 27:27
  Ministry of Jesus Christ, did not just appear out of nowhere.
• 27:32
  Didn't just show up. Jesus did not just interject
• 27:36
  into history unannounced. Jesus did not just come without
• 27:39
  notice his life, his death, his resurrection his ministry.
• 27:45
  Was the Fulfillment of an ancient expectation that was
• 27:48
  built up as God raised up one man, after the other to give
• 27:52
  another prediction after the next creating this expectation.
• 27:56
  When will he come? When will he arrive?
• 27:59
  And what we see here is that our faith, this Jesus his message,
• 28:06
  his ministry, his mission was predicted long ago, It's not
• 28:13
  detached from Redemptive history again, it's not random.
• 28:17
  It's something that is part of a greater plot.
• 28:20
  It's something that's been told of it's something of a greater
• 28:23
  screenplay even from the beginning of time and that truth
• 28:27
  alone silences the skeptic, who would say Christ is some kind of
• 28:31
  a concept that was brought up from a band of delusional men.
• 28:37
  Not so. Everything about Jesus Christ
• 28:41
  was in total, accordance with God's blueprint from eternity
• 28:44
  past. We have a solid faith.
• 28:49
  Credible, reliable, weighty, true heavy, and part of that
• 28:56
  divine plan that God had instituted was that there would
• 29:00
  be a forerunner. And would, you know, it he was
• 29:02
  predicted hundreds of years before his time as well.
• 29:07
  And that's what we see here. As it is written in Isaiah.
• 29:10
  The prophet behold I send my messenger before your face, the
• 29:15
  voice of one crying in the wilderness.
• 29:17
  Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight Please
• 29:22
  understand. There's even this is why we're
• 29:25
  staying on just 12 verses today because there's so many reasons
• 29:27
  are so many layers for this. Yes, we want to see that.
• 29:30
  Jesus is a king, even in the fact that there's a forerunner.
• 29:34
  Yes, we want to see that our faith is connected to Deep
• 29:37
  Roots. Credible roots.
• 29:42
  But also, there is something to be said about the person of
• 29:46
  Jesus Christ, not just that he's King, not just in the position
• 29:50
  that he will occupy. But listen, the very nature that
• 29:54
  he possesses, Mark through this even though he is speaking about
• 29:59
  John the Baptist, even through those prophecies about John, the
• 30:03
  Baptist is saying something about who Jesus is and you know
• 30:09
  what? Mark believes what you should
• 30:10
  believe. If you are a Christian this
• 30:12
  King, this servant this predicted a messiah was in fact,
• 30:18
  God himself. God himself.
• 30:23
  Coming into our world. God himself as king instituting
• 30:30
  and establishing a kingdom. Saying, how is that true?
• 30:37
  Any student of the Old Testament?
• 30:38
  Would know that well Mark is saying here from Isaiah.
• 30:41
  The prophet is not actually just from Isaiah the prophet, right?
• 30:46
  He actually is quoting Malachi and Isaiah and he's merging them
• 30:51
  as one prophecy. And that was a common practice.
• 30:55
  In this time when there were similar predictions and
• 30:59
  prophecies with the same theme that were saying the same thing.
• 31:02
  They would be there were brought forth together and then the
• 31:05
  author would credit the most prominent messenger, the most
• 31:08
  prominent profit and Isaiah is that man, Isaiah is the one who
• 31:13
  has brought forth, though, Malachi is still recognized in a
• 31:17
  veiled way. And what's so important about?
• 31:20
  What we see here is that if we do the work in dice, Setting
• 31:24
  this prophecy which is really two in one you and I will
• 31:27
  recognize something that would make Our Hearts Leap.
• 31:31
  If we care about who Jesus is, of course, well, Marcus saying
• 31:36
  from the beginning, through this, this Jesus, this Jesus.
• 31:41
  He's God. He's God.
• 31:45
  I want to show you that turn with me to Malachi 3:1 and let's
• 31:49
  look at this verse together, which is the first part of what
• 31:51
  Mark is saying, behold, I send my messenger before your face
• 31:54
  that's in Malachi. 3:1 let's read Malachi's writing on it.
• 32:00
  In Malachi 3:1 just a few pages back.
• 32:05
  Behold I send my messenger. And he will prepare the way
• 32:09
  before me, and the Lord whom you seek will, suddenly come to his
• 32:14
  Temple and the messenger of the Covenant, in whom you Delight.
• 32:17
  Behold he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
• 32:20
  There's so much that can be said about this one verse, but let's
• 32:23
  look at the part that Mark uses. The very first thing that we
• 32:27
  have to establish is that it is God himself.
• 32:29
  Who is speaking in this text? When it says behold I send my
• 32:33
  messenger. That's not Malachi speaking.
• 32:35
  That's Yahweh speaking I send my messenger and he will prepare
• 32:40
  the way before me, the essence of the message is this that
• 32:44
  there is one going forth. There is one who is going to be
• 32:47
  sent out and he's going to prepare the A and he's not going
• 32:51
  to be sent out to prepare the way for a human King like David
• 32:54
  or for a mighty man of God like Moses.
• 32:57
  It's so explicitly obvious that what God is saying is that this
• 33:01
  messenger who is going forth, is preparing the way for me.
• 33:06
  God, Yahweh, I myself will appear in my temple.
• 33:14
  Sound familiar, I myself will arrive, but before I arrived, My
• 33:19
  Messenger is going forth to prepare the way and more than
• 33:23
  just removing rocks and stones and Paving out red carpet
• 33:27
  preparing the way in the hearts of people to realize that Yahweh
• 33:31
  is on his way. He will prepare the way before
• 33:35
  who before me and all you have to do is break this down.
• 33:39
  Logically to see the argument that is being made and it is
• 33:43
  glorious one. Whoever the messenger is, his
• 33:46
  mission will prepare the way of the coming of God.
• 33:50
  To, we know that in multiple references, this messenger in
• 33:54
  the New Testament is John the Baptist 3.
• 33:58
  What we also know is that John the Baptist prepared the way for
• 34:01
  the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
• 34:04
  Her go. Jesus is Yahweh.
• 34:09
  He is God in human form. The very Lord that Malachi was
• 34:13
  speaking of. And coming to his own and his
• 34:18
  own Temple. Now, what's so amazing is when
• 34:21
  you compare Malachi's version of it to Marks there's a
• 34:25
  difference. Did you notice a difference?
• 34:27
  Go back to Mark. 1 verse 2 and notice the difference.
• 34:31
  Behold I send my messenger. Remember I told you the bible
• 34:34
  really help you here. Behold, I send my messenger
• 34:38
  before your face. Every translation says it that
• 34:44
  way. When you go to Malachi, doesn't
• 34:48
  say that behold. I send my messenger and he will
• 34:50
  prepare the way before me. Haha, contradiction mistake
• 34:57
  error. Yeah, your Bible is filled with
• 34:59
  error. Hold on.
• 35:02
  What's Happening Here? When you read it carefully,
• 35:05
  you'll realize that there is a very obvious difference.
• 35:08
  Malachi says, before me Mark says before your face.
• 35:15
  Before we get too nervous, maybe it will Comfort us a little bit
• 35:18
  to know that when Jesus Christ himself quotes Malachi, he
• 35:23
  quotes it in the same way that Mark does.
• 35:26
  Proof you have your Bible, right?
• 35:30
  Matthew when he gives tribute and chapter 11 to John the
• 35:33
  Baptist and verse 10. Look at how he says it.
• 35:37
  Look at the language that he uses.
• 35:40
  He says in Matthew 11 10. This is he of whom it is written
• 35:44
  behold I send my messenger before your face.
• 35:50
  Who will prepare your way before you?
• 35:56
  We're teaching today. In Malachi 3:1, you have two
• 36:03
  persons present it in that verse Yahweh who says I send a
• 36:09
  messenger before me so you have God and you have the messenger.
• 36:17
  And Matthew and Mark in referencing Malachi, you don't
• 36:21
  have two persons. You have three You have behold,
• 36:25
  I send that God, my messenger, that's John the Baptist and now
• 36:30
  we're left with the question. Who is before your face?
• 36:36
  We have three. Now, we have three. and when we
• 36:42
  look at this, we think, well if we understand what, before your
• 36:45
  face means and we understand, I mean that much closer who were
• 36:48
  speaking about before your face doesn't speak before an
• 36:50
  audience, it means to go before one Before your face, I send my
• 36:57
  messenger before your face somebody's going to go before
• 37:01
  you. Well who's that guy?
• 37:04
  Who are we speaking about here? and what's amazing is when we
• 37:09
  look at this, all Matthew and Mark are doing because they are
• 37:14
  inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is speaking.
• 37:18
  There are making a distinction, there are making a distinction
• 37:22
  within the godhead so that people would better understand
• 37:25
  that. Though, the Messiah does share
• 37:26
  the same nature as Yahweh. He is a distinct person.
• 37:34
  When Mark does this? And Matthew also does this, this
• 37:37
  is what we have to understand. Yes, they're inspired by the
• 37:40
  Holy Spirit and how they would often quote Old Testament
• 37:43
  references varied sometimes in the New Testament have
• 37:46
  word-for-word quotations with the Hebrew.
• 37:49
  Sometimes they would go to Septuagint, the Greek
• 37:51
  translation of the Hebrew Bible. Few hundred years before Jesus
• 37:56
  came. There was a Greek translation of
• 37:58
  the Hebrew Bible and at worded differently, sometimes they
• 38:00
  would quote from the Septuagint. Have you as anybody has ever
• 38:04
  noticed that you read the New Testament, you look at a quote,
• 38:06
  you go that's different from when I go to the verse.
• 38:09
  Yes. No Maybe and there are times
• 38:15
  like what we see in mark, where the Holy Spirit leads the
• 38:20
  writers to interpret, what the Old Testament verses speaking
• 38:24
  about and that's what's Happening Here.
• 38:27
  Mark is interpreting what Malachi is saying?
• 38:31
  And the way he's interpreting, it is so glorious.
• 38:34
  It's so wonderful by quoting by quoting it in this way.
• 38:39
  What he's saying is, yes, God himself is coming.
• 38:43
  Malachi said before me, he is coming.
• 38:46
  But when Mark quotes it he points to Jesus, as a separate
• 38:50
  person to show a distinction within the godhead.
• 38:53
  We are trinitarians. We believe, God is one in
• 38:56
  essence by has three persons. Co-equal and Divinity and value
• 39:03
  and worth and worthy of worshipped and attributes.
• 39:06
  So when he says before your face, he's saying before the
• 39:09
  face of Christ and when you marry those things together, you
• 39:13
  realize yes it is God, who is coming but it is God, the son
• 39:17
  and particular who is coming. Andrew John, the Baptist is
• 39:21
  preparing for its not God, the Father who is coming.
• 39:25
  The message that was sent out before the face of God, the son
• 39:29
  who is coming the second person of the Trinity will enter this
• 39:32
  world with flesh. I hope that makes sense.
• 39:39
  And then he just solidifies it. When he quotes, Isaiah and verse
• 39:42
  3, the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
• 39:44
  Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths.
• 39:46
  Straight Isaiah says, prepare the way for our God.
• 39:52
  And then Mark says the way of God is his his path.
• 39:58
  This Messiah this Jesus Christ as well.
• 40:02
  And so what we are understanding from this is that the the Gospel
• 40:04
  of Jesus Christ. Who is a king.
• 40:08
  He's not a king that comes from a human lineage necessarily, but
• 40:12
  he is a king that comes from eternity past.
• 40:17
  He is God, And I think here is a good place to understand
• 40:22
  something that is that is quite important when it comes to
• 40:25
  understanding the deity of Jesus Christ.
• 40:28
  The deity of Jesus Christ. You know many people have asked
• 40:31
  me this some of you might be thinking about it right now, why
• 40:34
  so complicated. Well, why not?
• 40:37
  Just have just just one verse where the Incarnate Christ.
• 40:42
  Just just said, I am. God worship me, you want proof.
• 40:46
  Here's some miracles. That would kill a thousand
• 40:49
  arguments. That would put the death, a lot
• 40:52
  of debate. Why not just do that?
• 40:57
  Why make these connections and why?
• 41:00
  Why does Jesus make these claims that to us seem ambiguous at
• 41:04
  first at least That seemed unclear A seem like they're open
• 41:09
  for interpretation. They're not when you really
• 41:11
  understand the scriptures. Wouldn't it make it more clear?
• 41:15
  Wouldn't there? Be less confusion?
• 41:17
  I argued that actually, if Jesus would have come, it says, I am
• 41:19
  God worship me. There would be more confusion.
• 41:24
  Potentially. Have you ever thought about
• 41:27
  that? And the reason why I believe
• 41:30
  that is because he understood his immediate audience and his
• 41:34
  immediate audience were Jews and to those Jews, a majority of
• 41:37
  them who had a limited understanding of the scriptures.
• 41:40
  Do they have the knowledge? The interpretive skill wasn't
• 41:43
  very much their Jesus rebuked, the whole school of religious
• 41:45
  people because of that. When they heard God, they
• 41:49
  identified it with the father, Isaiah speaks of God as a
• 41:51
  father, that's not a new testament concept.
• 41:54
  God one who occupies Heaven. God, the one who is Sovereign
• 41:57
  over all the universe. God, the one who cannot be seen
• 42:02
  God. And so here's Jesus Christ.
• 42:05
  He comes on what we wanted to do is say say, say it just say it,
• 42:08
  your God worship you. Okay, tell us.
• 42:11
  And yet that could be more of an obstacle than anything else if
• 42:15
  he just said it so plainly. Because there would that would
• 42:17
  leave those who are hearing it with an understanding of
• 42:20
  backdrop of who God has to say. So you're the, you're the one
• 42:24
  who's supposed to be in heaven. Who is supervising the universe?
• 42:27
  You're the one that we cannot see and hear you are.
• 42:29
  We know you're from Nazareth. Do you see how this can become
• 42:33
  an issue? You see how this can become more
• 42:35
  of a problem than of a benefit. And so, what Jesus does, as you
• 42:40
  will see throughout this gospel, as you see, throughout the
• 42:41
  gospels, is that he meets his people, where they're at with
• 42:45
  their understanding. And what he does, is he shares,
• 42:49
  and he declares that he shares the same nature as the father as
• 42:52
  God. And the prerogative is that he
• 42:54
  possesses, but at the same time wants to teach them that though
• 42:58
  he does share them, he is distinct.
• 43:01
  He is not the father. He is God, the son.
• 43:06
  And some believed it some realized it While others were
• 43:11
  ready to Stone him because of such blasphemy Jesus is the best
• 43:16
  evangelist, Jesus knew how to explain these things.
• 43:21
  And Jesus is infinitely wise, and we see it even here and we
• 43:26
  see it even with his text like this, or we are invited to see
• 43:29
  that Christ is distinct, but he is the same as God, and here's
• 43:33
  the point as we bring it to a close.
• 43:37
  That this whole introduction is to remind us Christians that we
• 43:42
  have good news. And this good news was planned
• 43:46
  and prepared and predicted long ago and although many Heralds
• 43:51
  have gone down throughout history to announce the coming
• 43:53
  of a new king. There is no King like this King.
• 44:01
  Because this king is God himself. who wrapped himself in
• 44:08
  flesh, entered into this world, not to be served but to serve
• 44:17
  There is no King like him. And if he is not King of your
• 44:20
  life, what are you waiting for? I have good news for you today.
• 44:32
  That Jesus Christ, the son of God came into this world to save
• 44:37
  you. To rescue you.
• 44:43
  Some of you know this already, right?
• 44:46
  Yeah. But I'll tell you that there is
• 44:49
  something healthy going on, in your spirit, when you can hear
• 44:52
  the gospel over and over again, and it makes you come alive.
• 44:58
  Christ died. And Jesus Christ.
• 45:02
  Had you in mind when he died. And as he hung there upon the
• 45:06
  tree, he received the full account of your sin that lays
• 45:10
  upon your shoulder today, if you are not connected to his saving
• 45:13
  power, And you will have to pay for every single sin that you've
• 45:19
  committed as you stand before. God, when he bids you to come
• 45:23
  before him. And you give up your final
• 45:26
  breath. That is not the end of your
• 45:28
  existence. That's just the beginning of
• 45:29
  one. That is much more real and as
• 45:32
  you stand before, God, Though you may have been able to bury
• 45:36
  your sin, from your parents barrier Sin, from your boss,
• 45:39
  bury your sin from your pastor and hide it and live on as
• 45:43
  though you were something and someone good, all of it will
• 45:47
  surface up before the most holy atmosphere that you've ever
• 45:52
  stepped foot in. And God will be there with a
• 45:55
  trillion of his angels as they behold you there in that moment,
• 46:00
  asking you to give an account for all that you've done against
• 46:03
  his law. All Times that you violated your
• 46:06
  conscience all the times that you have harmed.
• 46:08
  Somebody else who was created in the image of who he is, what
• 46:12
  will you do? What will you say?
• 46:17
  I've heard many people say I will stand before God and I have
• 46:20
  a list of questions to ask God. Oh really?
• 46:24
  I have a feeling you're not even going to be able to look at your
• 46:26
  list. As you stand before his blazing
• 46:31
  holiness. That will make your bones feel
• 46:35
  like they're Jello because you can't stand in such glory and
• 46:38
  your corrupt state. Yet, at the same time.
• 46:45
  For those who are in Christ, what would be so fearful and
• 46:49
  intimidating. the scripture promises we can come before with
• 46:53
  great joy and security what Jesus does for that appointment
• 46:58
  that you have with this king who is also judge is that as you
• 47:02
  stand before him you have nothing to account for.
• 47:08
  If anything the Bible says, you will be crowned for a Perfection
• 47:12
  of life that you have never lived but that you put your
• 47:15
  trust in the person of Jesus Christ.
• 47:18
  And all God will see and all those angels will see in that
• 47:21
  moment is a life free from sin free from any violation of God's
• 47:27
  law because the scripture uses a term, you are clothed in Christ.
• 47:33
  You are clothed in Christ and he invites, you into his presence
• 47:37
  forever and you enjoy his Fellowship, unfiltered,
• 47:40
  unhindered forever, and ever and ever.
• 47:43
  Do you want that? I'm not just saying you, if you
• 47:47
  want it, you need that. And I just call you as I close.
• 47:51
  Now, to run to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, while you
• 47:55
  still have breath. And let the eyes of your heart.
• 47:58
  Not these physical eyes, but the eyes of your heart, see his
• 48:01
  Beauty, and his majesty and don't turn away from it.
• 48:04
  Let it be. The very reason why you run
• 48:06
  towards him and surrender, do it.
• 48:09
  Do it. His arms are still open.
• 48:12
  His blood still has power and there is no sin too great for
• 48:15
  him. Not to forgive.
• 48:17
  Oh, would you come to him? Come to this King.
• 48:20
  Let's pray. Well, thank you for the news of
• 48:38
  the arrival of Jesus Christ through mark.
• 48:42
  Low. We pray that you would help us.
• 48:46
  With this joy that this good news produces low.
• 48:49
  We pray that if it was a spark for a few months, when we came
• 48:52
  to know you originally oh Lord make it a fire again.
• 48:56
  Bring us to that place where it is inexpressible and full of
• 48:59
  glory. Lord.
• 48:59
  We want to taste it. We want to know it.
• 49:04
  Lori. Thank you.
• 49:05
  How rich your word is, how deep it is.
• 49:11
  We worship you today. For the person in here, who
• 49:15
  doesn't know Christ. Although would your Holy Spirit
• 49:18
  convict? For the one.
• 49:20
  Who knows Christ. Who is lost this Joy?
• 49:26
  Only you can bring it back again.
• 49:28
  Well, we're so dependent on you and so we pray.
• 49:32
  Help us help The Sinner. Help the saint.
• 49:37
  We need you. In Jesus name.
• 49:40
  Amen. We stand and Worship the Lord
• 49:42
  together. Well, we're so dependent on you
• 49:31
  and so we pray. Help us help The Sinner.
• 49:35
  Help the saint. We need you.
• 49:38
  In Jesus name. Amen.
• 49:40
  We stand and Worship the Lord together.